Soil can become compacted or sod-bound with the passage of time and consequently does not absorb moisture as well as desired. Also, compacted soil does not enable air to penetrate into the soil.
Various types of apparatus have been previously proposed for use in aerating soil. However, such apparatus has exhibited various disadvantages and drawbacks which have limited the effectiveness of such apparatus.
Prior devices have been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,778,291; 767,890; 2,509,463, 3,084,747; 1,696,654; 2,857,835; 3,528,508; 4,821,811; 2,229,497; 2,314,035; 2,476,084; 2,741,968; 3,171,498; 3,199,278; 3,716,005; 3,794,121; 3,993,143; 4,192,387; 4,489,789; 4,523,771; 4,619,329; 4,840,232; 5,343,958; and 5,353,724.
There has not heretofore been provided spikes which are as effective in field aerator apparatus as the spikes provided by the present invention.